pci x16 question

[Rency]

Ok so I have a DFI Lanparty UT NF4 SLI-D. I was assuming the pci x16 slots meant that it supported running at x16 speeds. My video card is an XFX Geforce 7900GT. When I go to the nvidia control panel, it says for Bus: PCI Express x2

(Not sure if it makes any difference that the card is plugged into the 2nd pci-x slot so that it wouldn't hang over the north bridge.

 

Should I be returning this board in place of one that explicity states the northbridge can handle sli-x16? Is my card or any other at this point able to run at x16? Is there any potential problem with this setup?

[Sharp]

Hello,

 

Only the top slot can run at x16.

Bottom slot = x2

 

 

If you move the SLi jumpers, both will become x8

[syar2003]

Only 1'st PCI-E slot is 16X , second is 2x but 8x in SLI mode ( 8x + 8x) .

Move your card to 1'st .

[Rency]

Great thanks....Any idea how much of an advantage x16 is over x8 for a 7900gt? Because if I eventually get another 7900gt....would that mean I couldn't take full advantage of the card since its running at x8?....Also is there any way to set those jumpers so that the bottom slot is x16 and the top slot is x2? (It might help with not having to put my card over that damn northbridge)

[Oceanborn]

None...at least not with the graphic cards we have today....I benchmarked my 7800gt at 16x and 8x and the difference was around 1%.....

so...you can run at 8x just fine